Creating arbitrary patterns on a 2-D uniform grid VCSEL array

ABSTRACT

An optoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate and an array of optoelectronic cells, formed on the semiconductor substrate. The cells include first epitaxial layers defining a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack; second epitaxial layers formed over the lower DBR stack, defining a quantum well structure; third epitaxial layers, formed over the quantum well structure, defining an upper DBR stack; and electrodes formed over the upper DBR stack, which are configurable to inject an excitation current into the quantum well structure of each optoelectronic cell. A first set of the optoelectronic cells are configured to emit laser radiation in response to the excitation current. In a second set of the optoelectronic cells, interleaved with the first set, at least one element of the optoelectronic cells, selected from among the epitaxial layers and the electrodes, is configured so that the optoelectronic cells in the second set do not emit the laser radiation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/180,041, filed Nov. 5, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/844,662, filed Dec. 18, 2017 (now U.S. Pat. No.10,153,614), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 62/552,406, filed Aug. 31, 2017, whose disclosure isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic devices, andparticularly to devices configurable to emit patterned illumination.

BACKGROUND

Existing and emerging consumer applications have created an increasingneed for real-time three-dimensional (3D) imagers. These imagingdevices, also commonly known as depth sensors or depth mappers, enablethe remote measurement of distance (and often intensity) of each pointon a target scene—so-called target scene depth—by illuminating thetarget scene with one or more optical beams and analyzing the reflectedoptical signal.

Various methods are known in the art for generating light sources basedon arrays of multiple light-emitting elements of optical radiation on amonolithic semiconductor substrate.

United States Patent Application Publication 2014/0211215, whosedisclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an opticalapparatus, which includes a beam source configured to generate anoptical beam having a pattern imposed thereon. In one embodiment, anoptoelectronic device comprises a semiconductor die on which amonolithic array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)diodes is formed in a two-dimensional pattern that is not a regularlattice. The term “regular lattice” means a two-dimensional pattern inwhich the spacing between adjacent elements in the pattern (for example,between adjacent emitters in a VCSEL array) is constant and issynonymous with a periodic lattice. The pattern can be uncorrelated, inthe sense that the auto-correlation of the positions of the laser diodesas a function of transverse shift is insignificant for any shift largerthan the diode size. Random, pseudo-random, and quasi-periodic patternsare examples of such uncorrelated patterns.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention that are described hereinbelowprovide improved methods for fabricating patterned light sources andlight sources that can be produced by such methods.

There is therefore provided, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention, an optoelectronic device, including a semiconductor substrateand an array of optoelectronic cells, which are formed on thesemiconductor substrate. The cells include first epitaxial layersdefining a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack; secondepitaxial layers formed over the lower DBR stack, defining a quantumwell structure; third epitaxial layers, formed over the quantum wellstructure, defining an upper DBR stack; and electrodes formed over theupper DBR stack, which are configurable to inject an excitation currentinto the quantum well structure of each optoelectronic cell. The arrayincludes a first set of the optoelectronic cells that are configured toemit laser radiation in response to the excitation current and a secondset of the optoelectronic cells, interleaved with the first set, inwhich at least one element of the optoelectronic cells, selected fromamong the epitaxial layers and the electrodes, is configured so that theoptoelectronic cells in the second set do not emit the laser radiation.

In a disclosed embodiment, the array is a regular array, while the firstset of the optoelectronic cells are arranged in an uncorrelated patternwithin the array.

In one embodiment, the second set of the optoelectronic cells includeimplanted ions in the upper DBR stack, which increase an electricalresistance of the upper DBR stack by an amount sufficient to reduce theexcitation current injected into the quantum well structure to below athreshold required for emitting laser radiation.

In other embodiments, the electrodes of the second set of theoptoelectronic cells are configured so as not to inject the excitationcurrent into the quantum well structure. In one such embodiment, theoptoelectronic cells include an isolation layer between the epitaxiallayers and the electrodes, and a part of the isolation layer is etchedaway in the first set of the optoelectronic cells and is not etched inthe second set of the optoelectronic cells, so that the excitationcurrent is not injected into the quantum well structure of the secondset of the optoelectronic cells. In another embodiment, the deviceincludes conductors configured to feed electrical current to theoptoelectronic cells, and an isolation layer, which isolates theelectrodes of the second set of the optoelectronic cells from theconductors, so that the electrical current is not fed to the electrodesof the second set of the optoelectronic cells.

Additionally or alternatively, the device includes an isolation layerformed between the lower and upper DBR stacks, wherein the isolationlayer is etched out of an area of the quantum well structure in thefirst set of the optoelectronic cells and is not etched out of thesecond set of the optoelectronic cells.

There is also provided, in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention, a method for manufacturing an optoelectronic device. Themethod includes depositing first epitaxial layers on a semiconductorsubstrate to define a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR) stack.Second epitaxial layers are deposited over the first epitaxial layers todefine a quantum well structure. Third epitaxial layers are depositedover the second epitaxial layers to define an upper DBR stack. Theepitaxial layers are etched to define an array of optoelectronic cells.Electrodes are deposited over the third epitaxial layers electrodes andare configurable to inject an excitation current into the quantum wellstructure of each optoelectronic cell so as to cause a first set of theoptoelectronic cells to emit laser radiation in response to theexcitation current. At least one element, selected from among theepitaxial layers and the electrodes, of a second set the optoelectroniccells, which is interleaved with the first set, is configured so thatthe optoelectronic cells in the second set do not emit the laserradiation.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the followingdetailed description of the embodiments thereof, taken together with thedrawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an optoelectronic device comprising asemiconductor die on which a monolithic array of VCSELs has been formedin a two-dimensional pattern, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 2a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL and adisabled VCSEL, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL and adisabled VCSEL, in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 4a-b are schematic sectional views of areas of enabled anddisabled VCSELs, in accordance with yet another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 5a-b are schematic sectional views of areas of enabled anddisabled VCSELs, in accordance with a further embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 6a-b are schematic sectional views of areas of enabled anddisabled VCSELs, in accordance with still another embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIGS. 7a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL and adisabled VCSEL, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Overview

Light sources emitting multiple beams are used, inter alia, in 3-D(three-dimensional) mapping applications based on optical triangulation.As described in the above-mentioned United States Patent ApplicationPublication 2014/0211215, it is advantageous to use a light source thatprojects a random or pseudo-random pattern on the target to be mapped. Adesirable emitter for such a light source is a VCSEL (vertical-cavitysurface-emitting laser) array, due to low power consumption, highreliability, and good beam quality. A random or pseudo-random pattern ofemitters in a VCSEL array can be generated by a correspondingphotolithographic mask. The non-periodic distribution of the emitters,however, may lead to reduced control over the photoresist pattern CD(critical dimensions), as well as poor etch uniformity due to unevenetch load effects.

The embodiments of the present invention that are described hereinaddress the above limitations by fabricating a VCSEL array on a uniformgrid, and disabling individual emitters. The disabled emitters can beinterleaved with the enabled (operating) emitters in substantially anydesired pattern, for example in a pseudo-random or otherwiseuncorrelated pattern. The disclosed embodiments selectively disableemitters using modifications in the VCSEL fabrication process, forexample by modifying the epitaxial layers or the electrodes of theVCSELs. As the design is based on a uniform grid, it can be manufacturedreliably using standard photolithographic methods.

System Description

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an optoelectronic device comprising asemiconductor die 10 on which a monolithic array of enabledoptoelectronic cells 12, such as VCSELs, has been formed in anuncorrelated two-dimensional pattern, in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention. The array is formed on the semiconductorsubstrate by the same sort of photolithographic methods as are used toproduce VCSEL arrays that are known in the art, with suitable thin filmlayer structures forming the VCSELs, and conductors providing electricpower and ground connections from contact pads 14 to VCSELs 12 in thearray.

The sort of uncorrelated pattern of enabled VCSELs 12 is produced usingsubstantially the same processes as are used in fabricating a regulararray (i.e., an array in the form of a regular lattice) of VCSEL-likecells. In contrast to a conventional regular array, however, only VCSELs12 are selectively enabled, while disabling the remaining VCSEL-likecells. These disabled cells are referred to herein as “dummy cells 16,”since they are nearly identical in structure to VCSELs 12 but areincapable of laser emission due to thin film layer properties that areconfigured in the manufacturing process. In the following, the terms“disabling” and “disabled” are used synonymously with “not enabling” and“not enabled”, respectively.

The ability to create an array of operating emitters in substantiallyany desired pattern, for example in a pseudo-random or otherwiseuncorrelated pattern, based on a regular array of cells, has severaladvantages:

-   -   an improved dry etch uniformity is achieved by minimizing        so-called etch loading effects;    -   a tighter control of photoresist CD is achieved due to the        periodical structure of the uniform grid; and    -   a more uniform temperature distribution of die 10 can be        achieved, leading to a better optical power uniformity, by        filling the trenches between cells with a resin, such as        polyimide.

FIGS. 2-7 are schematic sectional views of enabled and disabled VCSELs.Each figure compares an enabled VCSEL (that can be used as the basis forenabled VCSELs 12), in a figure labeled by “a”, to a disabled VCSEL (asa possible basis for dummy cells 16), in a figure labeled by “b”. As theenabled and disabled VCSELs share most of the same elements, a detaileddescription of an enabled VCSEL is given with reference to FIG. 2a ,below.

FIGS. 2a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL 17 and adisabled VCSEL 18, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Enabled VCSEL 17 in FIG. 2a is formed on a semiconductor substrate 19.Epitaxial semiconductor layers of a VCSEL (a lower n-type distributedBragg-reflector [n-DBR] stack 20, a quantum well structure 22, and anupper p-DBR stack 24) are deposited over an area of semiconductorsubstrate 19. Between n-DBR stack 20 and p-DBR stack 24 a confinementlayer 36, typically Al-oxide, is formed and patterned. Following thedeposition of p-DBR stack 24, an isolation layer 28 is deposited andpatterned, and one or more p-electrodes 30 and n-electrodes 32 aredeposited and patterned. Isolation trenches 34 are etched to define thearray of VCSELs and to isolate neighboring VCSELs. Additionally, anisolation implant 38, such as a proton implant, may be depositedadjacent to p-DBR stack 24 and quantum well structure 22 for increasedisolation between neighboring VCSELs.

Disabled VCSEL 18 in FIG. 2b differs from enabled VCSEL 17 in that inthe disabled VCSEL, isolation implant 38 extends into p-DBR stack 24 andpossibly into quantum well structure 22. Due to the lattice damagecaused by the ion implantation, the resistance of the implanted layersincreases from the non-implanted state, lowering the excitation currentinjected into quantum well structure 22 to below the threshold requiredfor emitting laser radiation. As a result, the VCSEL is disabled andwill not emit laser radiation.

Disabling of VCSEL 18 is achieved in the fabrication process by amodification of the photomask responsible for defining the lateraldistribution of the deposition of isolation implant 38 so as to permitimplantation ions to reach p-DBR stack 24 and possibly quantum wellstructure 22.

FIGS. 3a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL 39 and adisabled VCSEL 40, in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention. Enabled VCSEL 39 is substantially similar to enabled VCSEL 17of FIG. 2a , except that the present embodiment does not necessarilycomprise isolation implant 38 for isolating neighboring VCSELs.Disabling VCSEL 40 is accomplished by preventing the injection ofexcitation current into p-DBR stack 24 and quantum well structure 22.The differences between enabled VCSEL 39 and disabled VCSEL 40 in threealternative embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 4-6.These figures refer to FIGS. 3a-b , and show an area 44 (marked by adotted line) for enabled VCSEL 39 and an area 46 (marked by a dottedline) for disabled VCSEL 40.

FIGS. 4a-b are schematic sectional views of areas 44 and 46 of enabledand disabled VCSELs 39 and 40 of FIGS. 3a-b , respectively, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

In enabled VCSEL 39 an electrical contact between p-electrode 30 andp-DBR stack 24 is produced by etching a via in a location 41 inisolation layer 28 prior to deposition of the metal layer (M1) thatserves as the p-electrode, thus enabling the flow of excitation currentfrom the p-electrode to the p-DBR stack and further to quantum wellstructure 22. In disabled VCSEL 40 no via is etched, as is shown bycontiguous isolation layer 28 in a location 42, thus preventing the flowof excitation current from p-electrode 30 into p-DBR stack 24 andfurther to quantum well structure 22.

Disabling of VCSEL 40 is achieved in the fabrication process by amodification of the photomask responsible for delineating the etch ofisolation layer 28 so as not to etch a via in location 42.

FIGS. 5a-b are schematic sectional views of areas 44 and 46 of enabledand disabled VCSELs 39 and 40 of FIGS. 3a-b , respectively, inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

In both enabled VCSEL 39 and disabled VCSEL 40 a via is etched inisolation layer 28 in locations 62 and 64, respectively. A secondisolation layer 60 is deposited over isolation layer 28, and a via isetched in enabled VCSEL 39 in location 62, whereas no via is etched indisabled VCSEL 40 in location 64. p-electrode 30 is deposited oversecond isolation layer 60, and the via etched in location 62 enableselectrical contact between the p-electrode and p-DBR stack 24, thusenabling the flow of excitation current from the p-electrode to thep-DBR stack and further to quantum well structure 22. However, noelectrical contact is established between p-electrode 30 and p-DBR stack24 of disabled VCSEL 40 due to contiguous second isolation layer 60 inlocation 64, thus preventing the flow of excitation current from thep-electrode into the p-DBR stack and further to quantum well structure22.

Disabling of VCSEL 40 is achieved in the fabrication process by amodification of the photomask responsible for delineating the etch ofisolation layer 60 so as to prevent the etching of a via in location 64.

FIGS. 6a-b are schematic sectional views of areas 44 and 46 of enabledand disabled VCSELs 39 and 40 of FIGS. 3a-b , respectively, inaccordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention.

In both enabled VCSEL 39 and disabled VCSEL 40 an electrical contactbetween p-electrode 30 and p-DBR stack 24 is generated by etching a viain a location 41 in isolation layer 28, similarly to enabled VCSEL ofFIG. 4a . A second isolation layer 66 is deposited over p-electrode 30(as opposed to depositing over isolation layer 28, as in FIGS. 5a-b ). Avia is etched in second isolation layer 66 in a location 72, but no viais etched in a location 74. A conducting layer 76 is deposited on secondisolation layer 66 for feeding electrical current to the array ofoptoelectronic cells. Due to the via etched in location 72, conductinglayer 76 is in electrical contact with p-electrode 30, and thereby withp-DBR stack 24, enabling the flow of excitation current from the secondmetal layer to the p-DBR stack and further to quantum well structure 22.However, due to contiguous second isolation layer 66 in location 74,p-electrode 30 of disabled VCSEL 40 is isolated from conducting layer76, thus preventing feeding of electrical current to the p-electrode.

Disabling of VCSEL 40 is achieved in the fabrication process by amodification of the photomask responsible for delineating the etch ofisolation layer 60 so as to prevent the etching of a via in location 74.

FIGS. 7a-b are schematic sectional views of an enabled VCSEL 80 and adisabled VCSEL 82, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. Enabled VCSEL 80 is substantially similar to enabled VCSEL 39of FIG. 3a . Disabled VCSEL 82 differs from enabled VCSEL 80 in thatconfinement layer 36 is not etched in location 84, preventing the growthof quantum well structure 22.

Disabling of VCSEL 80 is achieved in the fabrication process by amodification of the photomask so as to prevent the etch of confinementlayer 36 in location 84.

It will be appreciated that the embodiments described above are cited byway of example, and that the present invention is not limited to whathas been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scopeof the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinationsof the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations andmodifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the artupon reading the foregoing description and which are not disclosed inthe prior art.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An optoelectronic device, comprising: asemiconductor substrate; and a regular array of optoelectronic cells,which are formed on the semiconductor substrate and comprise: firstepitaxial layers defining a lower distributed Bragg-reflector (DBR)stack; second epitaxial layers formed over the lower DBR stack, defininga quantum well structure; third epitaxial layers, formed over thequantum well structure, defining an upper DBR stack; and electrodesformed over the upper DBR stack, which are configured to inject anexcitation current into the quantum well structure of at least some ofthe optoelectronic cells in the regular array of the optoelectroniccells, wherein the regular array of the optoelectronic cells comprises afirst set of the optoelectronic cells that are configured to emit laserradiation in response to the excitation current and a second set of theoptoelectronic cells, interleaved with the first set of theoptoelectronic cells, such that at least one element of theoptoelectronic cells in the second set of the optoelectronic cells,selected from among the epitaxial layers and the electrodes, isconfigured so that the optoelectronic cells in the second set of theoptoelectronic cells do not emit the laser radiation, wherein the firstset of the optoelectronic cells are arranged in an uncorrelated patternwithin the regular array of the optoelectronic cells.
 2. Theoptoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the second set of theoptoelectronic cells comprise implanted ions in the upper DBR stack,which increase an electrical resistance of the upper DBR stack by anamount sufficient to reduce the excitation current injected into thequantum well structure to below a threshold required for emitting laserradiation.
 3. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein theelectrodes of the second set of the optoelectronic cells are configuredso as not to inject the excitation current into the quantum wellstructure.
 4. The optoelectronic device of claim 3, wherein theoptoelectronic cells comprise an isolation layer between the epitaxiallayers and the electrodes, and wherein a part of the isolation layer isetched away in the first set of the optoelectronic cells and is notetched in the second set of the optoelectronic cells, so that theexcitation current is not injected into the quantum well structure ofthe second set of the optoelectronic cells.
 5. The optoelectronic deviceof claim 3, and comprising conductors configured to feed electricalcurrent to the optoelectronic cells, and an isolation layer, whichisolates the electrodes of the second set of the optoelectronic cellsfrom the conductors, so that the electrical current is not fed to theelectrodes of the second set of the optoelectronic cells.
 6. Theoptoelectronic device of claim 1, and comprising an isolation layerformed between the lower and upper DBR stacks, wherein the isolationlayer is etched out of an area of the quantum well structure in thefirst set of the optoelectronic cells and is not etched out of thesecond set of the optoelectronic cells.
 7. The optoelectronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the lower DBR stack comprises an n-type DBR, and theupper DBR stack comprises a p-type DBR.
 8. The optoelectronic device ofclaim 1, and comprising an isolation layer formed between the lower andupper DBR stacks, wherein the isolation layer is etched out of an areaof the quantum well structure.
 9. The optoelectronic device of claim 1,wherein neighboring optoelectronic cells in the array are isolated fromone another by isolation trenches.
 10. A method for manufacturing anoptoelectronic device, the method comprising: depositing first epitaxiallayers on a semiconductor substrate to define a lower distributedBragg-reflector (DBR) stack; depositing second epitaxial layers over thefirst epitaxial layers to define a quantum well structure; depositingthird epitaxial layers over the second epitaxial layers to define anupper DBR stack; etching the first epitaxial layers, the secondepitaxial layers, and the third epitaxial layers to define a regulararray of optoelectronic cells; depositing electrodes over the thirdepitaxial layers, wherein the electrodes are configured to inject anexcitation current into the quantum well structure of at least some ofthe optoelectronic cells in the regular array of the optoelectroniccells so as to cause a first set of the optoelectronic cells in theregular array of the optoelectronic cells to emit laser radiation inresponse to the excitation current; and configuring at least oneelement, selected from among the epitaxial layers and the electrodes, ofa second set the optoelectronic cells, which is interleaved with thefirst set of the optoelectronic cells, so that the optoelectronic cellsin the second set of the optoelectronic cells do not emit the laserradiation, wherein the first set of the optoelectronic cells arearranged in an uncorrelated pattern within the regular array of theoptoelectronic cells.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein configuringthe at least one element comprises implanting ions in the upper DBRstack, which increase an electrical resistance of the upper DBR stack byan amount sufficient to reduce the excitation current injected into thequantum well structure to below a threshold required for emitting laserradiation.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein configuring the at leastone element comprises configuring the electrodes of the second set notto inject the excitation current into the quantum well structure. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein configuring the electrodes comprisesforming an isolation layer between epitaxial layers and the electrodes,and etching away a part of the isolation layer in the first set of theoptoelectronic cells while not etching the isolation layer in the secondset of the optoelectronic cells, so that the excitation current is notinjected into the quantum well structure of the second set of theoptoelectronic cells.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein configuringthe electrodes comprises configuring conductors to feed electricalcurrent to the array of optoelectronic cells, and depositing andpatterning an isolation layer so as to isolate the electrodes of thesecond set of the optoelectronic cells from the conductors, so that theelectrical current is not fed to the electrodes of the second set of theoptoelectronic cells.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein configuringthe at least one element comprises depositing an isolation layer betweenthe lower and upper DBR stacks and etching the isolation layer out of anarea of the quantum well structure in the first set of theoptoelectronic cells while not etching the isolation layer out of thesecond set of the optoelectronic cells.
 16. The method of claim 10,wherein the lower DBR stack comprises an n-type DBR, and the upper DBRstack comprises a p-type DBR.
 17. The method of claim 10, and comprisingforming an isolation layer between the lower and upper DBR stacks, andetching the isolation layer out of an area of the quantum wellstructure.
 18. The method of claim 10, and comprising etching isolationtrenches between neighboring optoelectronic cells in the array.